Meet the Competitors of Mascot Madness 2019 – Region 1

Our yearly competition to figure out who is New York’s number one mascot has returned! We’re celebrating our 7th anniversary of the SUNY Mascot Madness tournament, and we’re excited to see what our 34 mascot competitors bring to the table this year. Our mascots are eagerly anticipating the first round, which kicks off on Tuesday, March 19. The schedule for the entire tournament is as follows, by round:

• Round 1: Tuesday, March 19 12:00 p.m. – Friday, March 22 3:00 p.m.
• Round 2: Tuesday, March 26 12:00 p.m. – Thursday, March 28 3:00 p.m.
• Round 3: Friday, March 29 12:00 p.m. – Tuesday, April 2 3:00 p.m.
• Final Four: Wednesday, April 3 12:00 p.m. – Friday, April 5 3:00 p.m.
• Finals: Tuesday, April 9 12:00 p.m. – Thursday, April 11 3:00 p.m.

Yet before you cast your vote, you need to get to know our competitors and what they’re all about. Check out the profiles below, in alphabetical order, to learn all about some of our competing SUNY Mascots to help you make your decision:

Colt – Orange County CC | Damien & Pedwin – University at Albany | Eddy Rondack – Adirondack CC | Elsworth Eagle – The College at Brockport | Fineas (Finn) – Suffolk County CC | Rip Van Winkle – Columbia Greene CC | Roody Roo – SUNY Canton | Stinger – Broome CC | Tiberius – Monroe CC

1. Who are you, where are you from, and who do you represent?
   They call me Colt.
2. What is your wackiest attribute?
   My wackiest attribute is that in spite of the fact that I have four legs, I can dunk a basketball and swing for the fences on the baseball and softball fields.
3. What would your autobiography be called and why?
   The title of my autobiography would be , The Blessed Life of Colt, How I Discovered the Fountain of Youth. I’ve gotten to spend my life on the campus of Orange County Community College. As if it couldn’t get any better, being on this campus has kept me forever young. I am over 50 and am still an adolescent.
4. What is the biggest school victory/triumph you have been witness to?
   This is a difficult question to answer. As everyone is well aware, Orange is the oldest county sponsored community college in New York State. Having been around for 69 years, I have seen some things. Some of the biggest triumphs I have been witness to have been on graduation day when a student athlete who never thought he would be a college graduate achieved the dream of being the first person in his family to earn a degree.
5. Who is your on-campus partner that helps you stay on top of your game, the Robin to your Batman?
   Our student activities department for all the support and oats they have given me throughout the years.
6. If you could trade places with any mascot for a day, who would it be and why?
   The one mascot I’ve always wanted to trade places with is Columbia Greene Community College’s Rip van Winkle. Having an opposable thumb for a little while would totally rock and I would love to take a nap that lasts 20 years.
7. Should you make it to the finals, what would your entrance song be when you enter the final competition?
   My entrance music would be the same song every horse in America would choose, My Old Kentucky Home, which is the entrance music played before the Kentucky Derby. In case you weren’t aware, the Kentucky Derby is to horses what the Super Bowl, World Series, and World Cup are to humans.
8. What is your favorite series to binge watch?
   If I’m going to binge watch any television series, I’m going to pop on TVLand and watch some old episodes of The Lone Ranger. That Silver was one bad horse!
9. Everyone has a good app idea. What’s yours?
   I have a brilliant app idea, Equinefax! Similar to Equifax, but it’s a credit monitoring service for horses. Instead of paying cash for a monthly subscription, horses can pay in oats.
10. What one fact about your school do you love to surprise your fans with?
    Our gymnasium was once a live concert hot bed! Cyndi Lauper and the Grateful Dead both have performed in it.

1. Who are you, where are you from, and who do you represent?
   We are Damien and Pedwin representing UAlbany. Pedwin is making an appearance this year in celebration of the University’s 175th Anniversary. Pedwin was the mascot until Damien was born in 1965.
2. What is your wackiest attribute?
   Pedwin: I had a starring role in Happy Feet!
   Damien: I’m the biggest Great Dane in the world! (Probably.) I was also rated 14/10 by WeRateDogs!
3. What would your autobiography be called and why?
   It Takes Two: The True Story of a Penguin and his Great Dane
4. What is the biggest school victory/triumph you have been witness to
   Our Men’s Lacrosse and Field Hockey teams reaching the Final Four! Field Hockey was the first UAlbany team to reach a National Final Four in 2014 and Men’s Lacrosse made it to the Final Four last spring!
5. Who is your on-campus partner that helps you stay on top of your game, the Robin to your Batman?
   Pedwin: air conditioning and snow.
   Damien: President Rodríguez because he lets me nap in his office.
6. If you could trade places with any mascot for a day, who would it be and why?
   Um… each other, duh.
7. Should you make it to the finals, what would your entrance song be when you enter the final competition?
   Can’t Touch This.
8. What is your favorite series to binge watch?
   Game of Thrones because this throne is OURS.
9. Everyone has a good app idea. What’s yours?
   UA UKNOW – an app that explains why UAlbany is the best school in the world for prospective students.
10. What one fact about your school do you love to surprise your fans with?
    We have the best campus fountain of all the SUNY schools. It’s not a surprise to our fans though, to them it’s a well-known fact.

1. Who are you, where are you from, and who do you represent?
   Eddy Rondack from SUNY Adirondack here, representing the 518!
2. What is your wackiest attribute?
   I may be a wolf, but I have the eye of a tiger.
3. What would your autobiography be called and why?
   I Don’t Think You’re Ready for this Eddy: The true tails of a timberwolf.
4. What is the biggest school victory/triumph you have been witness to?
   Getting to the 3rd round of Mascot Madness last year was pretty sweet. This year we’re going all the way!
5. Who is your on-campus partner that helps you stay on top of your game, the Robin to your Batman?
   The crew at the Fitness Center has really had my back. We’ve been training for this competition all year.
6. If you could trade places with any mascot for a day, who would it be and why?
   Blaze from Cortland. He breathes fire. That’s lit.
7. Should you make it to the finals, what would your entrance song be when you enter the final competition?
   Anything by Timbaland.
8. What is your favorite series to binge watch?
   Teen Wolf. ?
9. Everyone has a good app idea. What’s yours?
   Timber. It’s an app for lone wolves looking for their pack.
10. What one fact about your school do you love to surprise your fans with?
    The Adventure Course is ?!

1. Who are you, where are you from, and who do you represent?
   Ellsworth Eagle – The College at Brockport (SUNYBrockport)
2. What is your wackiest attribute?
   Extraordinarily flexible
3. What would your autobiography be called and why?
   Putting the GOLD in Golden Eagle
4. What is the biggest school victory/triumph you have been witness to?
   Brockport Football boasting back-to-back Empire 8 Championships & undefeated seasons
5. Who is your on-campus partner that helps you stay on top of your game, the Robin to your Batman?
   Brockport’s First Dog – @BrockportTilly – A.K.A. President Macpherson’s pup – our unofficial mascot
6. If you could trade places with any mascot for a day, who would it be and why?
   The Philly Phanatic. Who else has dance moves like these?
7. Should you make it to the finals, what would your entrance song be when you enter the final competition?
   Brockport’s Touchdown Song: Timmy Trumpet – Freaks.
8. What is your favorite series to binge watch?
   Sesame Street. Big Bird is bae.
9. Everyone has a good app idea. What’s yours?
   Birdmoji
10. What one fact about your school do you love to surprise your fans with?
    My name comes from Bob Boozer, who started our football program in the 60’s and whose name still adorns our football stadium. His middle name was ELLSWORTH!

1. Who are you, where are you from, and who do you represent?
   I am Fineas a.k.a. “Finn” from SUFFOLK COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE and I represent the great almighty SHARKS!
2. What is your wackiest attribute?
   My big fin rips through all my clothes. I have my own stylist to help with my wardrobe malfunctions.
3. What would your autobiography be called and why?
   Because it’s the best life, I would call my autobiography “Shark Life, The Only Way to Live”.
4. What is the biggest school victory/triumph you have been witness to?
   This year’s Men’s Basketball team has had an UNDEFEATED season, won the Region XV Championship this past weekend and will be on their way to the NJCAA National Championship as the #1 seed!! GOOOOOO SHARKS!!!
5. Who is your on-campus partner that helps you stay on top of your game, the Robin to your Batman?
   That’s a tough one, I’m more of an entourage kind of Shark. You can find me with the cheerleaders and dancers at a lot of our events.
6. If you could trade places with any mascot for a day, who would it be and why?
   I would love to experience being a mascot at a football game, so I would ask “Wolfie” from Stony Brook if we could trade places for a day.
7. Should you make it to the finals, what would your entrance song be when you enter the final competition?
   I’ll go with the song that was used at my unveiling, Metallica’s “Enter Sandman”. Pumps me up every time!!
8. What is your favorite series to binge watch?
   Because I don’t have one, I love hearing everyone else’s on “The Voice”.
9. Everyone has a good app idea. What’s yours?
   I would call my app “Find Finn”. It would give people the opportunity to locate me at all the events I make appearances at throughout our three campuses. I can’t tell you how many people want a photo op when they see me.
10. What one fact about your school do you love to surprise your fans with?
    We offer, not one, not two, but twenty one different sports teams. There’s something for everyone. Golf’s my favorite!

See Finn in action with the Suffolk County Community College dance team.

1. Who are you, where are you from, and who do you represent?
   I’m Rip van Winkle, I hail from another time, and I am Columbia-Greene Community College’s mascot!
2. What is your wackiest attribute?
   Besides a penchant for bowling with ghosts, I can fall asleep pretty much anywhere.
3. What would your autobiography be called and why?
   You guys know my story has already been written, right? Though if I were to take another stab at it, I suppose I’d go with The Man, The Myth, The Mustache.
4. What is the biggest school victory/triumph you have been witness to?
   I was just minding my own business taking a nap this winter, and all of a sudden those CoGreene folks were making a racket, putting up a new building! The noise isn’t going to stop either – I hear it’s for a new Construction Technology program.
5. Who is your on-campus partner that helps you stay on top of your game, the Robin to your Batman?
   Chef Sean never makes me feel bad for sleeping late. He just warms up a Rip-anini for me on the grill, throws me a Game Fuel, and sends me on my way to class.
6. If you could trade places with any mascot for a day, who would it be and why?
   Have you met Gritty from the Philadelphia Flyers yet? That guy is a legend. In his own fuzzy mind.
7. Should you make it to the finals, what would your entrance song be when you enter the final competition?
   I’m fine with just about anything, but I’m really tired of anything by Queen right now.
8. What is your favorite series to binge watch?
   Behind the Mask, the stories of mascots at all levels, on Hulu.
9. Everyone has a good app idea. What’s yours?
   It’s like Google Maps, but it only locates bowling alleys and historically relevant ship captains.
10. What one fact about your school do you love to surprise your fans with?
    I’m the mascot because I hang out in the mountains near campus, but our teams are the Twins because Columbia and Greene counties are twins, conjoined by a bridge named after me!

1. Who are you, where are you from, and who do you represent?
   I am Roody Roo. I am from SUNY Canton. As you may know, Kangaroos can only move forward and that’s what I represent. Whether it’s Athletics or Academics, we never go backward.
2. What is your wackiest attribute?
   I have a pouch. While common for my species, I’m probably the only mascot in New York who’s a full-on marsupial.
3. What would your autobiography be called and why?
   My autobiography would be called Roos Rising. Since I’ve been at SUNY Canton, we’ve transitioned to four-year athletics, joined the NCAA and added six new sports and a whole host of new four-year academic programs.
4. What is the biggest school victory/triumph you have been witness to?
   Men’s hockey recorded perhaps the College’s most impressive NCAA victory when it defeated the third-ranked team in the country. SUNY Canton downed Adrian College 6-4 in an away game last December. It marked the College’s first time defeating a team ranked in the nation’s top three spot in any sport.
5. Who is your on-campus partner that helps you stay on top of your game, the Robin to your Batman?
   SUNY Canton President Zvi Szafran is my personal trainer, mentor and all-around motivational guru. I’d say that I would be his Robin, but he likes the Flash better than Batman.
6. If you could trade places with any mascot for a day, who would it be and why?
   I think I’d go nuts being Oakie the Acorn for a day. I also wouldn’t mind being Victor E. Knight for a night. That red bird from Plattsburgh is a real card.
7. Should you make it to the finals, what would your entrance song be when you enter the final competition?
   “Down Under” by Men at Work.
8. What is your favorite series to binge watch?
   Dynasties on BBC Earth.
9. Everyone has a good app idea. What’s yours?
   Jump & Bounce. It’s an app that tracks how far and how many times you jump, hop or leap every day, each week, and monthly for the rest of your life.
10. What one fact about your school do you love to surprise your fans with?
    People are always surprised that SUNY Canton has competitive video games as a varsity sport. We were the first SUNY College to add eSports into our athletic department and have since picked up two ECAC championship wins.

1. Who are you, where are you from, and who do you represent?
   My name is Stinger, although when I’m feeling more like a Bond villain in Casino Royale, I might go with Vespa. But officially Stinger, how do you do. I am from SUNY Broome and I represent every student who is a part of this hive. We are a collective of buzzing hard workers striving to reach our goals!
2. What is your wackiest attribute?
   My wackiest attribute has to be my ability to buzz my way into any conversation. In the hive, we as Hornets are social animals. We communicate and discuss every topic under the sun – from the latest in nest engineering to our latest accomplishments in the field. I find myself flying into numerous conversations every day, and I never know where each dialogue will take me. (Hopefully to a flower.)
3. What would your autobiography be called and why?
   My autobiography would probably be called, “No, I’m a Hornet, and yes, I’m a pollinator.” Seriously, people always think I’m a bee. I have nothing against bees – they’ve got all the good dance moves and the honey – but I’m leaner and meaner, and low-carb.
4. What is the biggest school victory/triumph you have been witness to?
   I got up this morning; does that count? But if you’re buzzing about the athletic fields, I must say that our Lady Hornets are major Wonder Women. Our women’s tennis team has been a powerhouse for years. Our volleyball team went to nationals this fall for the first time since 1984! And just a few years ago, our Lady Hornets won the whole NJCAA Division III National Championship! Our Lady Hornets are the queens of the hive.
5. Who is your on-campus partner that helps you stay on top of your game, the Robin to your Batman?
   Don’t sell the other vespas, but her name is Yellow Jacket.
   Hey, this may be against the rules, but I just wanted to give a special shout-out to my best bud, Brandi over in the Student Village. I mean, technically Hornets don’t have hands, so she’s been my partner in comedy when it comes to typing out this questionnaire.
6. If you could trade places with any mascot for a day, who would it be and why?
   I would trade places with the giant inflatable tube men at the car dealerships. They sure look like they know how to have a good time!
7. Should you make it to the finals, what would your entrance song be when you enter the final competition?
   Probably “All the single ladies” by Beyonce – ‘cause have you heard that banger? It will sting you into next week!
8. What is your favorite series to binge watch?
   National Geographic is pretty good. There was a buzzin’ 300-hour documentary on pollinators the other day. Probably the best episode yet!
9. Everyone has a good app idea. What’s yours?
   So, recently Google stole mine, and I’m kinda salty that I didn’t patent it earlier, but whatevs. The idea is you could take a photo of a plant and the app would automatically ID it, and give you all the information you need. I just really need to find that flower again!
10. What one fact about your school do you love to surprise your fans with?
    I may be a Hornet but that doesn’t mean I am a borenet!
    Here’s a little pollen for ya: SUNY Broome is actually one of the oldest community colleges in New York State – one of the first five Institutes of Applied Arts and Sciences. We officially opened our doors in 1947 – a year before the entire SUNY system was founded. Through the years, we’ve had five different names – but we’ve always been a top school and one of the best places to get your start.
    Plus, we legit had the winningest coach in college history – any college. Dick Baldwin – the guy the gym is named after – won 879 basketball games at Broome. Plus, Biggie Baldwin was also a standout English professor because college is all about the life of the mind.

1. Who are you, where are you from, and who do you represent?
   I am Tiberius but answer to Tibs, Tibby, Tibber and Tibro.
   I hail from Monroe Community College, born and bred here. I’m most at home in the gym, the pool and storming across the fields of MCC.
   I represent the hopes, dreams and team spirit of Tribunes everywhere! I represent their fierce competitive drive, spirit of community, sense of fair play, and commitment to fellow teammates.
2. What is your wackiest attribute?
   My lack of expression. I have a great poker face!
3. What would your autobiography be called and why?
   Tiberius. I’m like the Beyonce, the Cher, the Sting of Mascots – only humble.
4. What is the biggest school victory/triumph you have been witness to?
   Without a doubt, the 2018 NJCAA Women’s Lacrosse National Championship tournament. We won it all, right here on our home turf!
5. Who is your on-campus partner that helps you stay on top of your game, the Robin to your Batman?
   My best friends on campus are Gretta and Milli, MCC’s two therapy dogs! Gretta and Milli are here to bring joy, alleviate stress, be loved, and give love to all. Not unlike myself!
6. If you could trade places with any mascot for a day, who would it be and why?
   It’s gotta be Gritty! The newest Philadelphia Flyer has taken the mascot world by storm! But I don’t care for his colors. I eat, breathe, and sleep black and gold!
7. Should you make it to the finals, what would your entrance song be when you enter the final competition?
   “On Top of the World” by Imagine Dragons.
8. What is your favorite series to binge watch?
   Game of Thrones! Winter is Coming … although it never seems to leave Rochester!
9. Everyone has a good app idea. What’s yours?
   A March Madness app that helps you pick your bracket based on the awesomeness of the team’s mascot. I mean, that’s what it comes down to anyway, right?
10. What one fact about your school do you love to surprise your fans with?
    MCC is ranked in the top 3% of U.S. community colleges for most associate degrees awarded! Last year’s grads were hired by 598 different employers and transferred to 157 different colleges and universities – many of these were SUNY schools!